Territory
Warning: Spoilers ahead forTerritoryseason 1.A major character in Netflix’sTerritoryis played by an actor who has already embodied a similar figure in a different show, and his latest casting mirrors the arc of said previous role.
TheTerritorycasthelps tell the story of a family-owned cattle station in Australia, and several characters both within and outsideTerritory’s Lawson family treeare vying to take over from the overbearing patriarch.EveryTerritorycharacter has an impressively fleshed-out storylinefor a six-episode series, but one in particular is in the midst of a narrative that will seem very familiar to the actor playing him.
Territoryseason 1’s endingcomes with a compelling cliffhanger, making it obvious thatthe writers have more plans for the future of the Australian neo-Western.
Although certain cast members won’t return due to their characters being killed off, most of the actors who appeared in the show’s inaugural run will presumably come back to continue the story shouldTerritoryseason 2 happen.
If so, the future of one specific character could be partially predicted by where one of the actor’s previous narratives ended up in another project.
Michael Dorman’s Graham Lawson Had A Very Similar Character Arc In Territory Season 1 To For All Mankind’s Gordo Stevens
Dorman’s Apple TV+ sci-fi character shares several traits with his Netflix Western counterpart
Michael Dorman plays Graham Lawson inTerritory, and Pop’s oldest son may be recognizable to fans of Apple TV+‘sFor All Mankind.
Custom Image by Daniel Bibby
Dorman appeared as Gordo Stevens in the first two seasons of the alt-history sci-fi show, and Gordo’s story acts as a kind of framework for Graham’s.
Both men are troubled alcoholics whose drinking doesn’t just impact their working life, but also their respective marriages.Gordo and Graham also both manage to fight their addiction and get clean.
While Gordo’s wife had since left him before his resurgence, Graham’s other half hadn’t quite severed the tie between them - although she may as well have done.
In the process of their recovery, they each manage to reach their potential at work while also reclaiming the love and respect of the women in their lives.
While Gordo’s wife had since left him before his resurgence, Graham’s other half hadn’t quite severed the tie between them - although she may as well have done.The parallels between Gordo and Graham’s journeys may have been easier to ignore if more time had passedbetween his Dorman’s exit fromFor All Mankindand hisTerritorydebut, but the fact there was only a two-year gap makes the connection difficult to miss.
Dorman’s Territory Character Arc Continuing To Mimic Gordo’s Would Mean Bad News For Graham Lawson (& Emily)
Gordo’s death could be a bad omen for Graham
For All Mankindseason 2’s ending completed Gordo’s redemptionby having him sacrifice himself to save the US lunar base.
Not only that, but the newly reunited love of his life followed him into the selfless act, causing both of them to make an emotional, heroic exit.
IfTerritorycontinues to base Graham’s arc on Gordo’s, then his character’s immediate future could involve a similar moment of virtue that costs him his life.
Depending on how closely Dorman’s two storylines are intertwined,Territoryseason 2 could also lead to Emily Lawson’s demise in similar circumstances to those of Gordo’s wife.
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Cast
Set against the backdrop of the world’s largest cattle station, this drama follows the intense generational conflict that ensues when a clear heir is absent.
As rival factions compete for control, the series examines themes of legacy, power, and the struggle for dominance over the land’s future.
